Apparatus for use in reclaiming vulcanized-rubber waste.



0. s. HELLER.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN RBGLAIMING VULCANIZED RUBBER WASTE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,-1911.

C lZeZZer 8mm? M/ Moi/V1411 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S'. HELLER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO MOORE ARCHITECTURAL ANDENGINEERING COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN RECLAIMING VULCANIZE-D-RUBBER WASTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Application filed June 22, 1911. Serial No. 634,737.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, GHARLEs S. HELLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Use inReclaiming Vulcanized-Rubber Waste, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in reclaiming rubber wasteand has particular reference to certain new and useful improvements inthe apparatus patented by me under date of December 13, 1910, in PatentNo. 978,583.

An important object of this invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter mentioned which will render the process of reclaiming rubberwaste, more expeditious, thorough, and continuous.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel and improved meansfor agitating the material under treatment.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for sending anelectric current through the material under treatment, first in onedirection and then in the opposite direction.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawlng forming av part of this specification, thefigure is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through theapparatus.

In the drawing wherein is illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, the numeral 1 designates a @sed outer shell or casing,preferably of sheet metah'provided near its upper end with a steam inletpipe 2 and at 1ts lower end with a drip pipe 3. The outer shell 1 has alower portion 4, which tapers downwardly in inverted frustoconicalshape, as shown. Disposed concentrically within the outer shell 1 is aninner shell or casing 5, preferably of sheet metal (vertically disposedtherein) and of smaller dimensions, to provide a steam chamber or jacketentirely surrounding the shell 5, as shown. The shell 5 is closed at itslower end by an inverted frusto-conical portion 6. The shells 1 and 5are kept in their proper concentric positions by a suitable number ofspacing members or ribs 7. Access is had to the interior of the shell 5through an opening 8 formed through the upper end thereof, which openingis normally closed by a door 9, held in place by a screw-threaded pin10, the upper screw threaded portion of which engages a bracket 12 andcarries a nut 11.

Disposed axially within the shell 5 is a vertical rotatable shaft 13,the lower end of which extends through an opening formed in the lowerportion 6 of the shell 5 and is journaled in a stationary bearing 14.The upper portion of this shaft is journaled through a stufiing box 15.Rigidly mounted upon the upper end of the outer shell 1 is a horizontalsupport or bracket 16, upon which is rigidly mounted bearings 17,through which is journaled a horizontal rotatable shaft 18, carrying afast pulley 19 at its outer end and a bevel-gear 20 at its inner end.This bevel-gear engages a larger bevel-gear 21, which is rigidlyconnected with the upper end of the shaft 13. Suitable means (not shown)are provided for rotating the pulley 19. The shaft 13 carries upon itslower half a spiral conveyer 22, ex-

tending downwardly to operate adjacent the bottom wall of the portion 6ofthe inner shell. Surrounding the greater portion of the spiralconveyer 22 and spaced from the portion 6 is an open-ended cylinder orshell 23, which is held in its position by spaced stationary legs 24attached to the lower end of the shell 23 and the portion 6. A dischargepipe 25 leads from the portion 6 of fiber or other suitable insulatingmaterial.

The wire 29 is connected with a fixed contact 31 and is also connectedwith a wire 32 having connection with a fixed contact 33. A lead wire 34connected with a fixed contact 35, disposed betweemthe contacts 31 and33, is electrically connected with the outer metal shell 1 and henceelectrically connected with the inner metal-shell 5.

The numeral 36 designates a source of electrical current, as forexample, a direct current dynamo of any well known or preferred type.One pole of the dynamo is connected with a wire 87 which is connectedwith a swinging arm 38 of a switch or pole changer. The other pole ofthe dynamo is connected with a wire 39 having connection with a swingingcontact arm 40 of the switch or pole changer. The arms 38 and 40 areconnected so that they move together. Means are provided forperiodically throwing the switch. This means may be of any desired formor construction. Satisfactory results are obtained by the use of springwound clock mechanism 40, set or adjusted to throw the switch as oftenas desired, preferably about once every five minutes.

From the description of the above referred to parts, it is obvious thatthe cylinder 27 and the shell 5 serve as electrodes for subjecting thereclaiming solution and rubber waste to the action of an electriccurrent. By swinging the contact arms 38 and 40 to the right, contactarm 38 will engage the fixed contact 81 and contact arm 40 will engagecontact 35, whereby the cylinder 27 and the shell 5 will be connectedwith the opposite poles of the source of current, or in other words thepolarity of the electrodes is reversed.

The pipe 25 discharges into a cleansing apparatus (not shown), which isof the construction shown and described in my Patent No. 978,583.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows :A sufficient quantity ofthe reclaiming solution and comminuted rubber waste is introduced intothe inner shell 5 to completely cover the spiral conveyer 22 and thecylinder 27. The pulley 19 is rotated so that the spiral conveyor willconduct material from the lower end of the shell 5 through the cylinder28 and discharge such material from the upper end of the cylinder 23. Itis thus seen that the reclaiming solution and comminuted rubber waste isconstantly agitated. The reclaiming solution which 1 preferably usecomprises for each one hundred pounds by weight of commi nuted rubberwaste, six hundred pounds by weight of water, thirty pounds by weight ofcaustic alkali, such as sodium hydrate or potassium hydrate, andone-half pound by weight of ferric hydroxid. This reclaiming solution inthe shell 5 is kept constantly heated by live steam introduced into thesteam chamber between the shells l and 5 from the pipe 2. T have foundthat the best results may be obtained by keeping the contents in theshell 5 at a temperature of from 330 to 370 F, preferably about 360 E,which temperature is obtained by introducing steam into the steamchamber at a pressure of from ninety-five to one hundred-sixty pounds.The contents of the shell 5 are kept under pressure by the heatedcondition of said contents. During the agitation, the reclaimingsolution and the comminuted rubber waste are continuously brought intoimmediate contact with the cylinder 27 and the shell 5. claimingsolution, the rubber waste in passing between the cylinder 27 and thewall of the shell 5, is subjected to the action of the electric currentgenerated by the dynamo 86. It has been found by experience that thegreater portion of rubber waste subjected to the action of thereclaiming process, carries a large percentage of mineral matter,including sulfur, and that the action of an electric currentin passingthrough the solution assists in removing the mineral matters containedtherein. I have found that the action of the reclaiming solution on therubber waste is made much more ef fective by periodically changing thepolarity of the electrodes, which may be accomplished by the properoperation of the switch, preferably by automatic means. The sulfur whichis removed from the rub ber waste is, through theinfluence of thechemical solution in which it is contained, and through the influence ofthe electrolytic action of the current, converted into a solublecombination which is carried away in solution. Without going intodetailed description of the particular electrolytic action of thecurrent passed through the solution and acting upon the rubber waste, itmay be stated that unusually satisfactory results have been obtained bythe use of an electric current, as herein described in the eliminationof the deleterious matters carried by the rubber, notably those whichhave been incorporated therewith previous to the vulcanization of therubber and the removal of which places the rubber as nearly as possiblein its original gummy condition. B y sending the current through thereclaiming solution in one direction and then through such solution in areverse direction, the above described effect of the current iseffective and complete and hence gives better results.

After the above described process has been carried out, the reclaimingsolution and the rubber waste are discharged through the pipe 25 byproper manipulation of the valve 26 into a closed receptacle, wherein itis treated with pure water to thoroughly wash the rubber waste andremove all trace of the reclaiming agents therefrom. Any suitable formof apparatus may be en'iployed to wash the rubber waste, while 1preferably prefer using the apparatus shown and described in the saidPatent No. 978,553.

I have found that the best results are obtained by employing an electriccurrent of four and six tenths volts and from seven In its movement withthe resame and that certain changes in the shape,

size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In apparatus of thecharacter described, a normally closed receptacle for holding areclaiming solution and rubber Waste, means for conducting a heatingmedium in proximity to said receptacle, and means for sending anelectric current through said reclaim-' ing solution in one directionand then sending said current through the same in a reverse direction.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a normally closed receptaclefor holding .a reclaiming solution and rubber waste, means forconducting a heating medium in proximity to saidreceptacle, meansforagitating the reclaiming solution and rubber waste, a source ofelectrical energy, means connecting said receptacle with one pole ofsaid source of electrical energy, a metallic member disposed within thereceptacle and insulated therefrom, means electrically connecting saidmetallic member and said source of current, and means for changing thepolarity of said receptacle and metallic member whereby a current issent through the reclaiming solution in one direction and then throughthe same in a reverse direction.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a normally closed receptaclefor holding a reclaiming solution and rubber waste, and means forsending a current through the reclaiming solution in one direction andthen sending said current through the same in a reverse direction.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a normally closed receptaclefor holding a reclaiming solution and rubber waste, electrodes havingconnectionwith a source of current to send an electrical current throughY the reclaiming solution, and means for changing the polarity of saidelectrodes whereby the current is sent through the reclaiming solutionin a reverse direction.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a normally closed,receptacle for holding a reclaiming solution and rubber waste,means forconducting a heating medium in proximity to said receptacle, means foragitating the reclaiming solution, means including electrodes forsending a current through the reclaiming solution, and means forchanging the polarity of said electrodes whereby for conducting aheating medium in proximity to said receptacle, means for agitating thereclaiming solution, means including electrodes for sending a currentthrough the reclaiming solution, means for changing the polarity of saidelectrodes, and a cleansing apparatus to receive the reclaiming solutionand rubber waste and including. means for washing said rubber waste forremoving the reclaiming solution from the same.

7 In apparatus of the character described, a normally closed receptaclefor holding a reclaiming solution and rubber waste in the presence ofpressure exceeding atmospheric pressure, means for conducting a heatingmedium in proximity to said receptacle, a shell having both ends openand disposed entirely within said receptacle and extendinglongitudinally of the same, a rotatable shaft extending longitudinallyof the receptacle and operating said open-ended shell, a conveyercarried by said rotatableshaft, means to rotate said shaft, and means tosend an electrical current through the reclaiming solution in reversedirection.

8. In apparatus of the character described, I

.open-ended shell disposed entirely within said receptacle and extendingaxially of the same, a rotatable shaft extending axially of thereceptacle and operating in said openended shell, means carried by therotatable shaft, to cause material to travel through said open-endedshell, means including electrodes for sending a current through thereclaiming solution, and means to change the polarity of the electrodeswhereby the current is sent through the reclaiming solution in a reversedirection.

9. In apparatus of the character described,

a receptacle for holding a reclaiming solution and rubber waste in thepresence of pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure, means for heatingsaid receptacle, means for sending an electrical current through thereclaiming solution comprising electrodes, and means to change thepolarity of said electrodes.

l0. In -apparatus of the character described, a receptacle for holding areclaiming solution and rubber Waste, means for sending an electricalcurrent throughthe reclaiming solution, and means for periodicallyreversing the direction of the flow of changing the polarity of theelectrodes, and 10 the current. means to periodically operate theswitch.

11. In apparatus of the character de- In testimony whereof I aifix mysignature scribedi, a receptiiclebfgr holding a reclaimin presence oftwo witnesses.

ing so ution an ru er waste, means for conducting a heating medium inproximity CHARLES HELLER to the receptacle, means for sending a cur-Witnesses:

rent through the reclaiming solution includ- J OHN C. FRANK,

ing electrodes, means including a switch for ETHEL F. 01201.

